Without a doubt, one place to start off the Memorial Day weekend was in the heart of South Kingstown. The unofficial opening of the summer season began Saturday at noon in Peacedale as the Sons of Liberty distillery celebrated its grand reopening in an expanded tasting room with food trucks, bands, and giveaways.
Crowds from across the state and beyond were in attendance, and Donna from Smithfield jokingly compared them to a Taylor Swift concert noting “the lines for the ladies’ rooms were crazy, and a guy stood guard for me outside the men’s room because there was no one inside.” The Airsoft howitzer firing t-shirts into the crowd was also a huge crowd-pleaser. By 2 pm, the inside tasting and the band and food truck areas outside were packed with patrons.
From there, the party continued just down the road at the Wakefield Music Festival, presented by the Contemporary Theater Company and Phil’s Main Street Grill. Located right on Main Street, two stages were set up for bands to play continuously, and there was something for everyone’s tastes.
The Kaitlyn Tarro Band took the stage early and rocked the crowd with classic tunes from Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin, funky dance band Guess Method played later in the day, and national act Talking Dreads finished the night.
All the while, local brewers Whalers and Shaidzon were busy, as was the crew on the grills providing food. There were plenty of games to keep the kids entertained, BMX Bikes, an air guitar competition, and a Kid’s Dance Party (where I saw a kid about 10-years old bust a move that impressed a group of guys probably in their thirties).
Organizers did a great job in planning and producing their event, as was evident in the diverse turnout, from college kids to young families, and grandparents, along with chamber of commerce and non-profits coming together to offer support and have a good time. All in all, it was a great start to the holiday weekend, hosted by a town and its residents who know how to get things done.
